Expert Tips for Elevating Your Principal’s Closet
Managing your principal’s wardrobe is a task that requires not just attention to detail but also strategic planning. A well-organized, functional, and stylish wardrobe is essential for ensuring that your principal always looks their best, whether attending a high-profile event or simply going about their daily routine. Below, we explore some of the most common wardrobe-related pain points and offer practical solutions.
Difficulty Creating Daily Outfits
Principals often have an abundance of clothing and still feel like they have nothing to wear. Simply buying more of the same items won’t solve this problem. Instead, they need a system to see and understand all the outfit combinations their expansive closets may offer.
To streamline decision-making and make daily outfit selection more manageable, we highly recommend creating a virtual version of their physical closets. This allows them to view everything they own at a glance.
Taking a couple of days to photograph all garments and accessories is a valuable step. Once photographed, these images can be organized by season or clothing category. If your principal has multiple homes, photographing and categorizing what is in those closets as well will ensure that no matter where they are, finding an outfit becomes a more straightforward task, allowing them to focus on the rest of their day.
Fit and Sizing Discrepancies
For ultimate ease, a principal’s closet should contain only items that fit them perfectly. Achieving the ideal fit often requires multiple rounds of tailoring, so working with an experienced tailor or garment maker is highly recommended. Finding the right tailor can be challenging, but a good starting point is to ask local luxury boutiques for their recommendations.
Engage in conversations with potential tailors to understand their strengths and their specialized alteration techniques. Once a skilled tailor or seamstress is found, the next step is to arrange a fitting day or two for our principal to try on their garments and have them tailored to perfection. When the altered garments are returned, principals feel confident and empowered, knowing their clothes fit nicely.
Unutilized Items
Another source of frustration is the number of unworn and unseen items due to poor display, inaccessibility, or improper outfit pairing. Principals want their wardrobes to feel purposeful, which requires careful consideration of each purchase — where it should be stored, how it is styled, and when it is worn.
One effective solution is to use a virtual closet to review and organize garments, while another is reorganizing the physical closet for better accessibility and display. Seasonal organization of the closet will bring the lesser-worn garments to light.
Lack of Seasonal Organization
For principals with multiple homes or closets, it’s crucial to implement seasonal organization. Properly storing deep winter items, such as sweaters, knitwear, parkas, boots, hats, gloves, and scarves, helps preserve their freshness and fabric quality. Similarly, deep summer items like light tops, shorts, sundresses, swimwear, cover-ups, sunglasses, sandals, and open-toed shoes can be set aside as a resort collection for vacations and tropical climates.
Even in a seasonless climate, categorizing pieces and organizing wardrobes brings cohesion and clarity to the overall collection. This approach enhances the organization and creates space and order in the primary closet, making daily dressing more effortless. Be sure to label the seasons for each storage area where garments are kept.
Damaged Investments
It’s always disheartening when principals discover that a pair of shoes or a dress, which hasn’t been worn in a while, has suffered damage from neglect. To address issues like broken zippers, missing buttons, or torn belt loops, the trusted tailor previously found can be of great help.
Moth damage is another concern; take preventive measures to protect your principal’s closet from these pests. Moths are drawn to dirty clothing, so ensure that only clean items are returned to the closet. Adding cedar to the closet can also be an effective deterrent.
Accessories may also tarnish over time, but many designer boutiques offer repair services. For shoe repairs or restorations, seek a cobbler specializing in designer footwear.
Additionally, clothing can lose color and fade if exposed to closet lights for extended periods, so using paper dust covers on shoulders can help minimize fading. Find a reputable dry cleaner in your area that specializes in high-end clothing. Since damage during the cleaning process can be common, choosing a top dry cleaner with a proven track record of handling luxury garments properly is crucial. Proper care and storage of garments are essential to maintaining quality and longevity.
Difficulty Packing
Packing for trips, whether short or long, can often create chaos for the entire staff. Instead, packing should be strategic, enjoyable, and aligned with the trip’s objectives. Begin by selecting and setting aside essential items a few weeks before departure, allowing time to plan a cohesive wardrobe. Photos from the virtual closet can be invaluable in this process.
Turn must-pack items into outfits by reviewing the itinerary, weather forecast, and comfort preferences. We recommend including one or two extra outfits to accommodate itinerary changes and provide flexibility. Including photos of the outfits in the luggage or making them available virtually will help our principal easily remember what to wear upon arrival. Always use garment bags to protect clothing during travel, even if packed in luggage.
Missing Key Items
Even the most overflowing closets often lack key items that can transform individual pieces into perfect ensembles. Strategic shopping, rather than casual browsing, is essential for creating a functional wardrobe. We recommend avoiding personal shoppers, as they are often affiliated with specific brands and motivated by commission, which may limit their focus to current trends rather than timeless pieces that can unify your wardrobe.
After a thorough closet edit and with a carefully curated shopping list, it is advisable to work directly with designers. Building relationships with designers provides better access to sizing and superior customer service, ensuring a principal’s wardrobe is cohesive and functional.
In Conclusion
Attention to detail, strategic organization, and expert support are vital when managing wardrobes. By addressing several common pain points, you can elevate your principal’s closet from a rack of clothes to a well-curated and highly functional wardrobe. Implementing these solutions simplifies daily dressing and ensures that every item serves its intended purpose, contributing to your principal’s confidence and ease in their day-to-day life. As we head into fall, now is the perfect time to edit, curate, and take a seasonal approach to your principal’s wardrobe.
By Maegan Watson of Watson Style Group
© 2024 Private Service Alliance, all rights reserved
